Do Maine Republicans Want to Win?

Here’s a proposal for Maine’s top-of-the-ticket political consultants and advisors to mull over…

Convene a focus group or commission a poll to pose these questions to voters:

Do you think it’s a good idea to allow Maine municipalities to protect violent criminal aliens from deportation?

Do you favor policies that prohibit Maine police officers from asking criminal suspects whether or not they’re in the country legally?

Should Maine police officers be allowed to share information about criminal suspects with ICE?

My guess is that large majorities of Maine voters would answer no, no, and yes.

The politics of Harboring Havens (so-called “sanctuary cities”) are a win-win for GOP candidates. It’s the right thing to do, and it’s politically popular. And it’s an issue that has life or death consequences for Maine people.

Given this political reality, I have to wonder why nobody in the GOP has laid a glove on either Janet Mills or Jared Golden for being on the wrong side of such a hot issue. Deporting violent criminal aliens is an issue that cuts in favor of GOP candidates — but only if they raise the issue and hammer their opponents with it.

Earlier this year, Attorney General Janet Mills testified in the Judiciary Committee against LD 1833, a bill that would have imposed stiff financial penalties on any municipality that harbors illegal immigrants.

Rep. Jared Golden voted against the bill when it reached the floor of the House.

But so far, hardly a peep has been heard from either the Moody or the Poliquin campaigns on this issue. At least nothing that I’ve heard. Certainly not a radio or TV ad hammering Mills or Golden for their role in protecting violent criminal aliens who have robbed and murdered Maine people.

Why aren’t Maine voters hearing about this all day every day between now and November 6th?

Is it fair to ask: Do Shawn Moody and Bruce Poliquin really want to win?

Lawrence Lockman, R-Amherst, is serving his third term in the Maine House of Representatives. He serves on the Labor, Commerce, Research & Economic Development Committee. He is co-founder and President of the conservative-populist nonprofit Maine First Project. He may be reached at [email protected].